Over K100m raised at PP orange ball party: Pictorial
Friends of the governing People’s Party (PP) on Friday, June 21, 2013, organized an ‘Orange Blossom Ball’, a get together and fundraising event, which has fetched over K100 million, so far.
Chairperson of the main organizing committee, Abida Sidik Mia, confirmed the amount of money they have raised in an interview with Nyasa Times, adding they expect it to increase as the team goes about collecting other amounts pledged at the event.
Abida, wife to Transport and Public Works Minister, Muhammad Sidik Mia, said they intend to organize similar events in other regions of the country to ensure that the PP “becomes a self-reliant political organization” to ably fulfill and implement plans the party has in store for the betterment of people’s lives.
Speaking during the event, which took place at Kamuzu Palace Grand Marquee in Lilongwe, Guest of Honour and President of the Republic, Dr. Joyce Banda, who is also leader of the party, said the event demonstrated that indeed the PP is a party of the people, for the people and by the people.
“More importantly, it assures us that the People’s Party has committed itself to work with all sectors of our society. Since its inception, the PP has established itself as a party to reckon with.
“We have established structures across the country where the party now has Constituency Committees, District Committees, Provincial Committees and a National Executive Committee; all working and functional,” she said.
The President encouraged the Youth and Women in the country “to find time and space” to join the PP at various levels. She then congratulated “men who have stood up in their thousands to embrace ownership and leadership of the PP”.
“We have in the PP men from different professions, skills and backgrounds who, together, have worked so hard to make the People’s Party what it is today. At grassroots level, the Party has been very active in mobilizing and recruiting members.
“I am pleased to say that the PP has become a household name in the country; and a Party of choice,” said the founding leader of the PP.
She said as per the symbol of the PP, an open lock with a key, the PP’s vision is to unlock the potential of Malawians to regain their freedom, dignity and sense of pride thereby unlocking Malawi’s potential to realize her social, political and economic freedoms.
The Malawi leader explained that in order to realize its vision and mission, the PP should continue to rest on three cornerstones of Unity, Equity and Development.
“In this regard, PP will foster Unity and National Identity; encourage coexistence of one individual with another regardless of tribal, regional, faith, class and political differences.
“In the past one year, the PP has demonstrated that it can be trusted with human rights and good governance; it can be trusted with the management of the economy; it can be trusted in fostering national unity and fairness. Indeed the PP Government can be a friend of the world and a key player in the global economy,” she said.
While the speeches were running, the audience was washing them down with a variety of drink, served with lip-smacking snacks and meals. This was simply a precursor to an avalanche of things to come.
When they finally did, the fountains of more drink flowed in their willingness and floods on those with willing and discerning throats.
As the drink put out the fires of thirst, so did the bodies, in fashions and styles galore, pay heed to the strumming of guitars, the wailing of keyboards, in unison with the thumping of drums in a musical orchestra featuring Mibawa, Skeffa Chimoto, Joseph Tembo and Zimbabwean songbird Amara Brown (based in South Africa).
The night sped away in the extravaganza of activity. Time to return came quickly. It was a loaded programme.
